November 23, 2022 – Rob Richie, President and CEO of FairVote, shared the following statement in response to Alaska’s ranked choice voting election results: 

“Alaska has become the first state to elect its governor and State Legislature with ranked choice voting while also using this better method of voting to re-elect its U.S. Senator and congresswoman. Ranked choice voting gave Alaskans better choices up and down the ballot, and it freed them to express their independence and true preferences – a majority of voters chose to elect a conservative Republican governor, a moderate Republican senator, and a moderate Democratic congresswoman. 

“Four out of five Alaskan voters say they find ranked choice voting ‘simple.’ In the statewide races, over 99.8% of voters cast a valid vote, and a significant majority of voters supporting eliminated candidates ranked a second choice. The Alaska Division of Elections ran the contest smoothly in the nation’s geographically largest state. Overall, candidates who built deep and broad coalitions won; polarizing candidates who ran slash-and-burn campaigns lost. But all candidates had a fair chance to be heard.

“In the coming days, Alaska will certify results and release a full cast vote record, which will tell us how voters used their rankings and much more. Ranked choice voting results are far more transparent and reveal more about voter preferences than single-choice elections; FairVote will share an analysis of the cast vote record in the coming weeks. 

We look forward to the ways ranked choice voting will continue to improve campaigns, elections, and governance in the Last Frontier.” 

More analysis is available here. Simple, interactive ranked choice voting results displays are available here.

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FairVote is a nonpartisan organization seeking better elections for all. We research and advance voting reforms that make democracy more functional and representative for every American.